Chapter 39 (1/2)

Translator: Jawbrie

First, I saw the horses.

Two thoroughbreds with lustrous, chestnut colored hair. They had intelligent looking eyes and were likely of a very gentle nature, and behind them was the roofless carriage that they were pulling.

And in that carriage sat the royal family.

His Highness the king and the queen were in the front, the five children were lined up in the back. The princesses and princes were waving to the crowd. Fortunately, Charles was looking in my direction.

Even so, the situation wasn’t quite perfect either.

“Mmmm…”

I pouted a little at this unsatisfactory reality.

I could see him. But the view was less than ideal. As it were, I could only just barely see him through the small gaps between people, and since the carriage was moving, I would occasionally lose sight of Charles completely. I wanted a little more height if possible.

In order to make this wish known, I knocked on the head below me.

“Leon. Do you think you could grow in height a little?”

“You’ve been ridiculously selfish for a while now, what the hell do you think I am?”

“You’re a commoner, right? So listen to your betters. Make my wish come true. That is your duty.”

“Hahaha. Of course, so this is the nobility. …Keep this up and I might start a revolution!”

“Hmph.”

It would be no good for him to do such a thing while he was still carrying me. No matter how high-born a noble I was, I could not deal with a rebellious footstool while I was on it.

“Fine, fine. I shall be satisfied with the present state, but you must at least maintain this height without going any lower.”

“Wha, ugh, this is lame…”

I could hear his complaints coming from under me, but my vision did not get any lower. It was clearly a bad idea to make too many demands and provoke him. Well, I suppose this was fine. I had to give in.

Charles appeared to be trying, as he had promised. He smiled and waved his hands. But royalty or not, he really did not look good with that forced smile.

“Why doesn’t he smile like he usually does…”

“Huh? Did you say something?”

“No.”

I replied as Leon reacted to my mumbling. I looked back at Charles.

His smile showed that he was bored. The smile Charles usually wore was so pure that it made others happy by just looking at him. I watched him almost nervously, wondering if others wouldn’t notice how fake his smile was, but as far as I could see, the crowds of onlookers were cheering without noticing.

My eyes follow Charles through the sea of people. From his view, I was probably nothing more than half a head peeking out from the masses. Even I could barely see him. Perhaps it was too much to wish that he would somehow see me. It would be smart to give up.

I had held a little hope, but he would surely not be able to find me.

Just as I had become resigned to this, something unexpected happened.

Our eyes had met.

“Ah.”

At that moment, Charles’ face lit up.

All signs of obligations disappeared, he stood up and waved enthusiastically towards me. The second princess who was next to him looked taken aback by his sudden movement, but Charles didn’t seem to care at all. His smile now, was not the forced one a moment ago, it was the same bright smile that he always had for me.

It wasn’t my imagination. Charles’ eyes had locked with mine and he had immediately known that it was me. Normally, I would not have been in a place like this, but that had nothing to do with it, he could not mistake me. And he expressed his joy with his whole body.

As a friend, I knew it would have been proper to rebuke him for acting inappropriately.

I also knew that as his fiance, it would be right for me to pester him about his duty.

But, strangely, I was so happy that my heart was full of nothing but joy.

“He really was…”

…very honest.

Indeed, that was one of his best attributes. In answer, I too waved my hands towards him. For once, I feel no desire to find any fault in him.

I waved until the carriage had passed and I could not see him. Then I felt fingers pinch my cheeks and pull.

“…What is it, Mariwa?”

“Nothing. I just noticed that your cheeks looked a little slack.”

That tends to happen when someone is happy, it’s called human emotion. It was no reason to pull at a person’s cheeks.

“Hmph.”

I puff out my cheeks after hearing Mariwa’s unreasonable excuse. She let go of me now without an ounce of regret.

“His highness is fond of you. It is a good thing.”

“Of course. We are friends, after all!”

“…Hah…”

I said proudly, but she only sighed.

“Well, we shall leave it at that, then.”

What was this? There was something in the way she said it that I didn’t like.

I glared back at her through half closed eyes, but she ignored me. I looked back in the direction of the now unseeable carriage, I whisper something.

“However, such a reaction during his duties… So that was Prince Charles. I thought that it was Mishuli for a second, but she does look a little different.”